


Put on Your Most Confident Smile

by hmweasley



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M, Flirting, Getting Together, Minor James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:15:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24599635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hmweasley/pseuds/hmweasley
Summary: James convinces Narcissa to finally go for it with Lily.
Relationships: Narcissa Black Malfoy/James Potter, Narcissa Black Malfoy/Lily Evans Potter
Kudos: 18





	Put on Your Most Confident Smile

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt:  
> Write about someone mimicking someone else.

Narcissa leaned forward in an attempt to observe Lily from across the pub despite the tables full of people between them. Her red hair made it relatively easy to pinpoint, but it wasn’t enough to allow Narcissa a good view of what the other woman was actually doing.

“Just go for it,” James said, calling Narcissa’s attention back to him and tilting his butterbeer in a salute. “You have no problem making people fall for you, Cissa. This won’t be any different.”

Narcissa sighed and ran her hands over the light blue robes she wore. Neither of them had expected Lily to show up when they’d decided to come to the pub that evening. Narcissa had been talking herself into doing something about her feelings for weeks, but she wasn’t prepared to do it then and there. James was a terrible influence, though, and was almost as anxious for her to do something as Narcissa herself was.

He reached out and took one of her hands in his own, giving it a squeeze.

“You look great,” he promised. “You always do. Lily will agree.”

The compliment satisfied Narcissa just as compliments always did, but she rolled her eyes regardless, never one to reveal the full extent of the effect others had on her. Even when the person in question was her boyfriend.

“You’re biased,” she said leaning into James’ side.

He smiled and pressed a quick kiss to her lips.

“Maybe I am,” he said with a smirk. “But I’ve also been talking you up to Lily since I started seeing her. All she’s heard is good things.”

Narcissa sighed. While she appreciated James’ support, she worried that he was getting too carried away with the romanticism of it all. Building someone up too much only meant that someone would be let down later.

“What’s to say she’s interested?” Narcissa asked. “I know she’s polyamorous like us, but she’s already your partner. She might worry that getting involved with me would make things too messy. Plenty of people don’t want to get involved with a metamour.”

James shook his head.

“Nothing has to become complicated, and I’m sure Lily knows that,” he said. “Besides, you won’t know for sure what she wants until you ask her.”

Narcissa gave him her best frown, but it did nothing to lessen his grin. She pursed her lips and contorted her body around to look at the bar again. One of the tables had emptied, leaving Narcissa with a clearer view. Lily sat next to another woman, laughing at something that had been shared between them.

Whether she acted or not, Lily would notice their presence eventually and come over. She was, after all, one of James’ partners. Narcissa had struggled through those moments in the past as she tried not to reveal how she felt. After years of hiding her wants to please her parents, Narcissa was more than capable of it, but that night, she was tired. Their trip to the pub had been to relax, and she was caught off guard.

“Just borrow some of my confidence,” James said, pulling her attention back to him.

Narcissa raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow.

“What do you mean by that?” she asked.

James wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer.

“We already know that Lily likes me well enough”—Narcissa snorted at his confidence—”so just act how I would. You’ve watched me flirt before.”

Narcissa patted his thigh.

“James, sweetie, no one can match the level of bravado that you exude without trying.”

It was James’ turn to roll his eyes. He knocked Narcissa’s hand away from his leg.

“You don’t need all of it,” he insisted. “Just enough to give you a confidence boost. If you can’t walk up to Lily as yourself, pretend to be me until you feel comfortable. Then, show her yourself.”

Narcissa couldn’t help but laugh at the exuberant confidence with which James delivered his advice.

“You do realize that’s the exact opposite of what you’re supposed to say, don’t you?” she asked. “Where’s the reassurance of ‘just be yourself and she’ll love you’?”

“That’s true too,” he said, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. “But if you can’t do it that way… Fake it until you make it, right?”

Narcissa shook her head, but the idea had its appeal. She’d been trying to move away from wearing masks, but imitating James for a brief moment in time was different from the cool and indifferent confidence that she’d been raised to show even around her most intimate family members. And there was a sense of comfort in the idea of approaching Lily as someone different from herself.

“Okay,” she declared. “I’ll do it, but you can’t watch. I don’t want you judging my performance.”

She stood and brushed out the creases in her less-than-ideal-for-the-occasion robes. When she looked back at James, he was pouting up at her.

“When do I ever judge you?” he asked.

“Never,” Narcissa said with an exasperated shake of her head, “but you’re still not allowed to watch.”

She gave him one last stern look that made him nod innocently before she started maneuvering towards the bar.

As she went, she imagined James and his swagger in her mind’s eye and did her best to imitate it. It made her feel odd yet strangely comforted as she got closer. Lily turned before she’d reached her, a small smile on her lips that grew larger and amused as she watched Narcissa approach.

“I didn’t know you were here,” Lily said in place of a proper greeting.

“Oh, yeah,” Narcissa said, leaning one elbow on the bar next to Lily like she’d seen James do countless times. “James and I decided to come out for a few drinks. Seeing you was a nice surprise.”

She leaned closer as she spoke, and Lily raised an eyebrow, a grin still gracing her lips. She didn’t appear put off, and that only increased Narcissa’s confidence in a more genuine way.

“Same,” Lily replied. “Is work going well?”

“Same as always,” Narcissa said with a shrug. “I’d much rather talk about your work. Leading a multi-million galleon company is far more interesting than anything I do, but I know you’re more than up for that challenge.”

Lily let out a surprised laugh and shook her head.

“I’m glad you think so,” she said. “Not all of the men who work there have been receptive to the change. It seems that they don’t like a woman telling them what to do.”

Lily continued sharing details about her work with Narcissa. Her passion shone through when she spoke, and Narcissa kept biting at her lip, fascinated by how Lily spoke of leading her company. It was beyond attractive.

All thoughts of imitating James fled her mind as she listened. When Lily came to the end of one particular story about managing a crisis during an investors’ meeting, Narcissa shook her head.

“You really are incredible,” she said. “Like, really. Not many people could pull off something like that.”

Lily blushed, and something stirred deep in the pit of Narcissa’s stomach. She was overcome with the need to express herself, and it no longer mattered whether she used James’ bravado to do it or not.

“Would you be interested in going out with me?” she asked. “Say, next Friday night?”

Lily smiled, and Narcissa’s heart soared.

“I’d love to,” Lily said. “Name the time and place, and I’ll be there.”

Narcissa smiled back at her stupidly.

As she and Lily made their way back to James, Narcissa didn’t need to copy James’ swagger. She was floating on air.

**Author's Note:**

> Come talk to me on [Tumblr](http://madetofly.tumblr.com) if you'd like!


End file.
